The application relates generally to large blades and airfoils, and more specifically to sensors and instrumentation of wind turbine blades for blade performance measurements.
Measurement of blade fluid dynamic parameters for airfoils in general and wind turbine blades in particular have usually employed traditional methods of mechanical pressure detection. Such pressure detectors include piezo/strain-based pressure sensors that require a diaphragm to measure the pressure-induced stress and strain. Sizable ducts or penetrations are required in the airfoil or blade structure to accommodate the diaphragm package. This prevents the pressure measurement from being employed in production wind turbines. With such instrumentation, the pressure typically needs to be introduced into the sensor diaphragm by a nozzle and a tube, causing the directionality of the pressure measurement to be further limited.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a structure for incorporating sensors on a wind turbine blade to provide pressure measurements that may be used for evaluating and controlling wind turbine performance. The sensors must be in place during wind turbine operation, so the installation must not adversely impact the integrity and fluid dynamic operation of the blade. Further, a structure is also required to provide the signals to a data acquisition system in a manner that does not adversely impact the integrity and fluid dynamic operation of the blade.